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WILLIAM E. WILSON, one of the leading business men at Fort Recovery, proprietor of the Fort Recovery lumber
yards, was born March 28, 1856, in Hillsdale County, Michigan, and is a son of William and Rosanna (Mills) Wilson.
After the death of our subject's mother, in 1858, the father removed from Michigan to Fulton County, Ohio, where
he subsequently was married to Mrs. Ann (Latham) Creghlo, and they continued to reside there until the death of
the father in 1891. He was a wheelwright by trade. His widow still lives in Fulton County.
When our subject was about 15 years of age, he went to Clayton, Michigan, where he was in the employ of the general
mercantile firm of G. V. Hawkins & Company, for two years. He then entered a commercial college at Adrian,
Michigan, where he completed a six months course in bookkeeping and business methods, but in the following year,
1874, he embarked in farming, operating a rented farm of 120 acres in Eaton County, Michigan, until 1877, following
which he worked for some two years on a farm, by the day. In 1879 Mr. Wilson went to Lake County, Michigan, and
embarked in a general mercantile business in a lumber town in that section, which. he conducted until 1881, when
he sold out to Wall & Sipley, a large lumber concern there, and then became bookkeeper for this firm. The failure
of the firm in 1883, which was precipitated by the failure of the Cadillac Bank; threw him out of employment, and
he then moved to Cadillac and there accepted the superintendency of Cummer & Son's planing mill, and remained
with that firm for two years. He subsequently served in the same capacity for Dunham, Peters & Company at Chase,
Lake County, Michigan, a large manufacturing firm, for which he later went out on the road and was their traveling
representative until the spring of 1889, when he came to Fort Recovery.
Mr. Wilson is one of the progressive, enterprising business men of this town. After locating here, he established
the lumber business, in partnership with George A. Reuter, and has been sole owner since November 5, 1904. He gives
employment to from seven to To men and does a general planing mill business and sells lumber, lath, shingles, sash,
doors and blinds, Cement, coal and building blocks. His partnership with George A. Reuter continued from 1889 until
1904. In the fall of 1881, Mr. Wilson was married to Ella E. Williams, in Lake County, Michigan. Mrs. Wilson is
a daughter of Charles I. Williams and was born in Allen County, Ohio. They have two adopted children, twin sisters,
Minnie D. and Maude D.
Mr. Wilson has taken an active part in public affairs for a number of years and while a resident of Lake County,
Michigan, was treasurer of Yates township for some two years. For nine years he has served as treasurer of the
Board of Education of Fort Recovery and has been a member of the Board of Public Affairs. For a long period he
has been prominent in Masonry and is serving as master of Fort Recovery Lodge, No. 539, F. & A. M. Mr. Wilson
is a valued member of Pisgah Congregational Church at Fort Recovery. He stands very high in public esteem, not
only as a man of business capacity but also of business integrity.
From:
History of Mercer County, Ohio
and Representative Citizens
Edited & Compiled by: Hon. S. S. Scranton
Published by: Biographical Publishing Company
Chicago, Illinois
1907
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